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Born in Messina, Sicily and trained in the Netherlandish technique of oil painting, Antonello set the standard for portraiture when he arrived in Venice in 1475. He introduced the ambiguous smile to indicate to some degree the inner life of the sitter, before Leonardo adopted this technique that became one of his celebrated hallmarks. Many of Antonello's portraits provide a soft light and direct gaze to engage the viewer. More can be read on Wikipedia.